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Pakistan, India - Earthquake: OCHA Situation Report No. 11

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2005/0172
OCHA Situation Report No. 11
South Asia (Pakistan and India) - Earthquake

This report is based on the information provided by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator's (UN HC/RC) Office in Islamabad, national authorities, agencies, NGOs and donors in Pakistan, as well as the UNRC's Office in New Delhi.

Pakistan

Situation Overview

1. Official casualty estimates are expected rise again due to bodies now being recovered in rubble removal operations, and due to the extreme weather conditions. The death toll now stands at 38,000.

2. One week after the earthquake, the combination of: sheer numbers of injured, enormous logistical challenges and rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, indicates that the relief operations are still at the life-saving stage. The most critical priorities are winterised shelter, medical, water and sanitation and nutrition. Urgent attention needs to be given to reaching populations in villages.

3. Continuous rains throughout last night have considerably slowed down relief operations. As landslides are blocking roads, helicopters are the only means to get to cut-off villages, but due to heavy clouds and bad weather, many helicopters were grounded over the weekend. More storms are forecast.

4. Temperatures are dropping to below zero and hypothermia is becoming a risk to thousands of destitute people sheltering under plastic tents. Many injured have been coming down the mountains on foot and there are many cases of gangrene among the injured.

5. Assessments from the Balakot area indicate that it was one of the worst hit with over 20,000 casualties (out of a population of 400,000), 90% of buildings destroyed and 100% homeless.

6. Six Pakistani troops were killed in Kashmir north-east of Bagh when their helicopter crashed due to bad weather.

7. Current assessments have led to a revision of shelter needs: it is now estimated that thousands more tents are required than are currently in the pipeline.

8. Many tents being delivered are not up to standard for winterisation and are failing to provide adequate shelter for victims. The UN has produced, "Tents-A Guide to the Use and Logistics of Family Tents in Humanitarian Relief" with a section on cold weather standards that can be found at http://ochaonline.un.org/DocView.asp?DocID=2112. Hardcopies can be obtained from OCHA at lsu@un.org.

9. So far, only USD 6 million in cash contributions towards the UN Flash Appeal have been confirmed. In addition, invaluable in-kind donations have been made. It is critical that announced pledges be confirmed as quickly as possible.

10. All relief organizations arriving in Pakistan are requested to contact the UN Emergency Coordination Centre, Islamabad, UNICEF building, 90 Marghala Road, F 8/2, in order to obtain and exchange relevant information on contact details, meeting schedules, cluster updates, maps, etc. All details of arriving relief commodities should be channelled through the cluster coordination groups (www.un.org.pk).

Coordination

11. The Federal Emergency Commissioner has appointed a Liaison Officer based in the UN Emergency Coordination Centre in Islamabad to facilitate coordination of national/military and international relief efforts.

12. OCHA has set up a Civil Military Coordination Cell within the Centre; contacts are also being facilitated with NATO, Canadian and US military forces operating in country.

13. As the first step in establishing UN humanitarian hubs in the field, a two-person UNDAC team is on its way to Mansehra today to establish coordination structures. Muzaffarabad coordination is being assumed by the OSOCC established by OCHA/UNDAC.

14. Cluster coordination is now urgently required at field level.

Emergency Shelter Cluster

15. Compilation of current assessments has led to a revision of shelter needs: it is now estimated that thousands more tents are needed than are in the pipeline. Local stocks are now exhausted, but 16,000 have been delivered and up to 70,000 tents are on their way.

16. UNHCR has sent 20,000 tents to Pakistan. The majority are winterised and the remainder will be supplemented with extra sheeting and blankets. 2000 stoves are also on the way.

17. Assessments are still ongoing with common reporting formats increasingly used.

Water and Sanitation Cluster

18. The WATSAN cluster faces a major challenge resulting from more than two million people lacking sanitation facilities. The challenge is to get adequate and safe drinking water, sanitary disposal of excreta and basic hygiene in place before a major epidemic occurs.

19. WATSAN Supplies have begun to arrive in country. WATSAN coordination meetings in Muzaffarabad and Mansehra have started.

Logistics Cluster

20. There are limited parking facilities for UN and international assets at Islamabad and Muzaffarabad airports.

21. Airports and roads remain extremely congested. Local transport fees continue to increase.

22. The immediate objective is to establish a dedicated UN helicopter database and to agree on a common warehouse concept. Another urgent priority is to improve commodity-tracking information, both for pipeline and outgoing.

23. DFID has offered to provide weather reports of the affected area to the Humanitarian community.

Health Cluster

24. The large number of injured is overwhelming the current capacity and is still not sufficient to meet the existing needs. Many injured may not be treated in time and death toll is likely to increase.

25. WHO is appealing for a large quantity of water to the international community as it is expected that the lack of safe drinking water will become a major health risk soon. Water tanks and latrines need to be set up and solid waste collection needs to be initiated immediately.

26. The main risks are now: diarrhoeal illnesses, pulmonary diseases and non-treatment of injuries of earthquake survivors. Patients are now coming in with infected open fractures and gangrene.

27. The most immediate health objective is the emergency treatment of thousands of injured that cannot be treated on time or not be reached and securing sources of sustainable sources of clean drinking water. The need for mobile operation theatres is still in effect.

Food and Nutrition Cluster

28. Supplies of foodstuffs are continuing to be donated from individuals, communities, as well as NGOs and WFP. However, the majority of the estimated immediate food and nutrition needs have still not been met.

29. Food distribution is slowly starting to be more organized as national and international NGOs are actively establishing presence and building capacity.

30. Several rapid assessments are ongoing to establish the caseloads, basic needs, priority areas and budgets. However, the current number of operating NGO partners is far less than the required to meet the enormous challenge of feeding one million people.

Camp Management Cluster

31. The scheduled cluster assessment mission to Batagram, Balakot and Muzaffarabad is ongoing today.

Protection Cluster (women and children)

32. The cluster focus is to identify numbers and locations of unaccompanied, separated, orphaned and lost children.

Education Cluster

33. The immediate challenge is to establish temporary schooling facilities as soon as possible; the cluster is coordinating with camp planning and shelter activities accordingly.

Reconstruction Cluster

34. Agreement for joint assessments for early recovery activities to be undertaken.

India - Jammu and Kashmir

Situation

35. As of 15 October, 1,297 casualties have been reported by the Government. Over 32,000 buildings are reported to have been damaged.

National Response

36. The Indian Government has not requested international assistance.

General Information

37. All detailed cluster information (meeting minutes, assessments, contact information etc.) is being posted on www.un.org.pk.

38. The latest information on projects and funding for the Flash Appeal, and for the emergency overall, can be found on the Financial Tracking Service (http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/reports/reportlist.asp?section=CE&record_ID=688).Further information on earthquake appeals and funding is available on ReliefWeb (http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc105?OpenForm&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK).

39. Contact details of focal points for information on in-kind and cash contributions can be found at http://www.un.org.pk/earthquake05/

40. OCHA will revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Tel.: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:

Ms. Merete Johansson, direct Tel. +41-22-9171694
Ms. Masayo Kondo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 1997
Ms. Kirsten Gelsdorf, direct Tel. +41-22 917 1843

Press contact:

(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126

Disclaimer

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